Water-filter



No. 623,439. Patented Apr. la, |899. S. M. SUMAN'.-

WATER FILTER.

(Application Nov. 16, 1898.)

(No Model.)

9 /NV NTOH W/TNESSES A TTOHNEYS.

TH: Noams crans co, Putnam-neo, WASHINGTON. n. c.

UNrTnn STATES PATENT Ormea,

SAMUEL MILTON SUMAN, OF RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA.

WATER-FILTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,439, dated April 18, 1899.

Application filed November 16,1898. Serial Nol 696,627. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL MILTON SUMAN, of Riverside, in the county of Riverside and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Tater-Filter, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved water-filter which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and arranged to filter the water several times to obtain perfectly pure water, the filter being adapted for use in dwellings, hotels, public water-supply systems, soldiers7 barracks, miners camps, dac.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section 'of the same on the line 2 2 in Eig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the charcoal-baskets, and Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the same. A

The improved water-filter illustrated in the drawings is preferably in the shape of a box A of suitable material and size and preferably placed in an inclined positionas indicated in Fig. l. In the upper end of the box is arranged an inlet-passage B, formed in the top with a strainer O, into which passes the water from a suitable supply, the strainer retaining such solid matter as pieces of wood, animals, or the like, the water liowing down the passage B to the bottom of the box and to an inlet D for a iiltenbed E, provided in its bottom with a heavy screen-bottom E', on which rests gravel E2, sand E3 being in the upperportion, a screen E'l separating the sand from the gravel.

The filter-bed E is provided on top with an overflow E5, causing the water rising through the filter-bed to pass in a thin stream over the said overflow into a passage F, extending downward on the lower side of the filter-bed, to lead at its lower end into a second inlet D for a second filter-bed E6, similar in coustruction to the filter-bed E previously inentioned. The ilter-bed E discharges the wa- F, which connects at its lower end with an inlet D2 of another filter-bed E7, similar to the iilter-beds E and E6. The lter-bed E7 discharges the water over an overfiow into another passage F2, connected at its lower end with an inlet Dsfor a filter-bed E8, similar to the filter-beds EG and E7. The water overowing from said lter-bed E8 passes into the upper end of a charcoal-basket G, filled with charcoal H and provided with a perforated bottom G, through which passes the water to an inlet D4 for another filter-bed E9, similar to the iilter-beds previously described. The water overflowing from the filter-bed E9 passes to a second charcoal-basket G2, likewise filled with charcoal and provided with a bottom screen G', through which the water passes to an inlet D5 for a filter-bed l2, having a screen-bottom I', on which rests pure white sand. After the water passes through the sand it accumulates above the same and finally fiows through an outlet J and passes in a purified condition to a suitable place of discharge. The overflows E5 of the filter-beds E8 and E deliver the Water from the said lter-beds lin a thin stream upon the corrugated top portions G3 for the charcoal-baskets G, so that the water is spread as much as possible before passing into the baskets and through the charcoal contained therein.

When the device is used, the water passing from a suitable supply through the strainer O and passage B into the inletD rises through the gravel E2 and the sand E3, so as to free the Water of a greater portion of its impurities. The water in the top of the filter-bed finally flows over the overiiow E5 in a thin stream, so as to be exposed to air and light, which act as a germicide for destroying bacteria, doc. The water now flows down the passage F to the inletD', to again rise through the gravel and sand and to be again exposed to the action of air and light while flowing in a thin stream over the overflow of the second iilter-bed E6. This operation is repeated through the next iilter-beds E7 and ES, and the water from the latter finally passes in a thin stream over the overflow E5 and the corrugated top portion G3 into the charcoal-basket G and through the charcoal contained ranged one alongside the other, with passages F between, to cause the water to flow from the top of one filter-bed to the bottom of the next one and rise through the filter-bed instead of fiowing down through the filterebed. By the water passing through the several filter-beds and the charcoal-baskets a perfect purification of the water takes place.

In the lower ends of the inlets D D D2 D3,

D4 D5 are arranged faucets K for discharging the impurities settling in said inlets.

It will further be seen that the several filter-beds are open at the top, with the exception of the last filter-bed I, which is preferably closed or covered to keep out dust, dac.

Vhen it is desired Io clean the apparatus, the faucets K are opened and wateris sprayed into the filter-beds from the top to cause the collected impurities inthe sand and gravel to flow through the screen-bottom E' into the corresponding inlet for this filter-bed and finally pass to the faucet K and out of the same. Thus the gravel and sand remain undisturbed in the filter-beds and still a perfect washing thereof takes place. lt will also be understood that the filter can be readily constructed 'in different sizes for family use, hotels, water-supply syst-ems, duc., according to the amount of water required for use.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A water-filter, comprisinga series of filter-beds each having an inlet at the bottom and an overflow at the top, and charcoal-receptacles between adjacent filter-beds and arranged to receive the water'from one filterbed and to deliver the Water to the inlet of the next following filter-bed, each charcoalreceptacle being provided with a top portion over which the water flows, substantially as described.

2. A water-iilter, comprising a series of filter-beds, having inlets at the' bottom and overflows at the top, the lter being provided with passages between ad jacent filter-beds to connect the overflow of one filter-bed with the inlet of the next following one, faucets arranged in the lower ends of the inlets for discharging the impurities settling therein, the

last filter-bed being closed at the top and provided with a discharge-pipe, substantially as described. A

3. A water-filter, comprising a series of lilter-beds, each having an inlet at the bottom and lan overfiow at the top, and charcoalbasket between adjacent filter-beds, and arranged to receive the Water from the overflow of one filter-bed and to deliver the water to the inlet of the next following filter-bed, each basket being provided with a corrugated top portion over which flows the Vwater from the overflow of the preceding 1'ilter-bed, to pass into the basket and through the charcoal contained therein, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a water-filter, a charcoal-basket having a screen-bottom anda corrugated top portion over which the water flows to pass into the basket, substantially as shown and described.

5. A water-filter, comprising a box arranged in an inclined position, the said box being provided at its upper end with an inlet-passage having a strainer, a series of filter-beds arranged in the box and each having an inlet at the bottom and an overflow at the top, a ch arcoal-receptacle located between adjacent filter-beds and arranged to receive the water from the overflow of one fllter-bed and to deliver the water to the inlet of the next following filter-bed, each charcoal-receptacle being provided with a top portio'n over which flows the water from the overliow of the preceding iilter-bed to pass into the charcoalreceptacle, the filtering-bed at the lower end of the box being closed at the top and provided with a discharge-pipe, substantially as shown and described.

SAMUEL MILTON SUMAN. 

